Embedded Files
Use Australian English (refer to Macquarie dictionary and Style Manual for authors, editors and printers).
Note, in particular: ‘ise’ endings and ‘our’ spellings (except for Australian Labor Party) . If you're working in a word doc, set the Language preferences to Australian.
With link text, spelling should match the link destination if there is a discrepancy with our house style.
3D
3D
3D
A
A
acknowledgment
address/email (see email address)
ad savvy (Americanism)
adolescence - to refer this broad period of life spanning a range of years
aeroplanes (not airplanes)
age-old
acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS)
adviser
Airhole
All in Ones
all-out (as in complete, total)
alopecia
all right
alter ego
am (as in 9.15 am)
analyse
anaemia
AnaPen
antenatal
antibacterial
anti-constipation
anticonvulsant
anti-dandruff
antidepressant
anti-discrimination
antifungal
antihistamine
anti-oxidants
anti-skid
antisocial
anti-viral
apnoea (as in sleep)
artwork
Asperger’s syndrome
attention deficit disorder (ADD) (note caps in the acronym only)
attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) (note caps in the acronym only)
audiovisual
Auslan
Australian Government (not Federal Government)
Aussie Rules
Australian Standards (when referring to actual standards, also see Standards Australia)
Australian Standards mark
autism spectrum disorder
B
B
BA (Bachelor of Arts)
babyhood
baby-proofing
babysit
babysitter
babysitting club
backburner
backfire
backpack
backyard
back up (verb: as in to reverse, to encourage)
backup (noun: emotional support)
back-up (adjective)
bad-tempered (but bad temper)
ballpark
bandaid
Bartholin’s gland
baseline
bassinette
bath time
bathtub
bathwater
battleground
bedclothes
bedhead
BEd (Bachelor of Education)
bed-share
bedtime
bedwetting
behaviour
belly button
best-case scenario
betacarotene
bidirectional
bike riding (same principle for horse riding)
binge-eating (hyphen)
binge-drinking (hyphen)
biodegradable
biofeedback
biplane
bipolar
birdbath
birth control
birthing room
birthmark
birthrate
birth weight (two words)
blackboard
blood-borne
bloodstream
board game
boardroom
body-rocking
body-roll
bolognaise (not bolognese)
bookmark
bookshop
bottle-fed
bottle-feed
bottle-feeding
bottom-up
bought (past tense of buy)
bouncinette
breakdown
break-up
breastfed
breastfeed
breastfeeding
breastmilk
bright-eyed and bushy-tailed
brought (past tense of bring)
bucks night
build up (verb)
build-up (noun)
built-in (also in-built)
bulk bill
bulk billing
bushfire
butt in
bye-bye
by-product
C
C
caesar
caesarean section
café
cardiorespiratory
caregiver
car park (but ‘car-park safety’)
car seat
case by case
case manager
cast-off (as in thrown away)
catch up (verb: as in to follow or each)
catch-all
CD-ROM
Centre (referring to the VPC)
cerebral palsy (no caps)
change table
channelled
chat room
check (noun: as in pattern)
checklists
check-up
chequered (adjective)
chickenpox
child care
child and family health nurse (not maternal and child health nurse)
child rearing
childbirth
child-caring (like problem-solving)
child-friendly (as in environment)
child-parent relationship
childproof (verb and adjective)
childproofing
chili (plural: chilies)
CHOICE magazine
civilisation
classmate
close-up (close range)
club foot (adjective form: clubfooted)
clubfoot
co-author
co-ed (for schools with boys and girls)
coeducational (but co-ed)
co-facilitator
cognitive behavioural therapy (not behaviour)
cold-blooded
cold-blooded
colicky (adjective of colic)
colour
common sense
compare with (not to)
cooperation
coordinator
copycat
co-sleeping – not to be used, describe ‘sharing the same bed’
cost-effective
cotton bud
cotton wool
counselling
counsellor
cow’s milk
coworker
crèche
crisscross
cross-country
cross-cultural
cross-eyed
cubbyhouse
cup cake
cutthroat
cystic fibrosis
D
D
dad (for non-specific persons or the state of being a dad)
Dad (for references to a particular dad)
database
daughter-in-law (plural form: daughters-in-law)
day care (not daycare)
daydream
day-stay program
daytime
day-to-day (when used as adjective)
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) (note acronym; capitalise in body copy but not References)
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition (DSM-IV) (note acronym; capitalise in body copy but not References)
de facto (wife, husband, marriage)
deadlock (noun and verb)
debrief
decision-making
decision-making (when used adjectively)
deep-frying
demon (demonic)
demoralise
dependant (noun)
dependent (adjective)
desensitised
de-skill
desktop
de-vein (e.g. remove vein from prawn)
development
diameter
diarrhoea
dietitian
dietitian (not dietician)
dining room
dinnertime
disability (has a disability, not disabled)
dishwater
do-it-yourself
doll’s house (not dollhouse)
doorknob
doorstep
double-check
doughnut
Down syndrome
down time
download
downside
downtime
drawn-out (adjective)
dress up (verb)
dress-ups (noun: the game and the clothes used in the game)
drop out
Duchenne muscular dystrophy
dumbbell
dwarves data (singular and plural)
E
E
eBay
E. coli
e.g.
earache
eardrum
ear wax
earmark
earplug
earthquake
easygoing
ecobehavioural
eco-friendly
Edwards syndrome
egg roll
electrocardiograph
Emperor penguins
ear-to-ear
encyclopedia (not encyclopaedia)
enema
enrol
EpiPen
esophagus
et al.
etc.
Eustachian tube
ever-expanding
everyday (adjective)
evidence-based (but try to avoid)
ex (as in ex-partner, ex-wife)
ex-husband
ex-partner
extracurricular
ex-wife
eye-dropper
eye patch
eye to eye (to have a similar opinion)
F
F
façade
face washer
face-to-face
fact sheet
faeces (singular and plural)
fail-safe (not failure-safe)
fairytale
family centred practice
family day care
family-friendly
Farenheit (and also Celsius)
farmyard
fast food (noun)
fast-food outlet (adjective)
feedback
fetal (not foetal)
fetus (not foetus)
finger painting
fingernail
finger-point
fire station
firefighter
firefighting
first aid (noun and adjective)
firstborn
first-hand
flamethrower
floatation (NSW Kidsafe: water safety device)
flotation (Macquarie spelling)
flu
flyer (single sheet of printed material )
focused
focusing
follow-up
food pipe (two words)
foolproof
foreman
foreword (as in book preface)
formula
formulas (not formulae)
framework
freecall (as in phone number)
Frisbee (initial cap)
frostbite
full-term (as in early babies)
full-time
fun park
funnel-web and red-back (spiders)
G
G
gherkin
glove box
go ‘fish’ (card game)
go-between
going-over (noun: for example, ‘it will get a going-over’)
goodbye
goodness of fit (noun)
goodnight
gooey
granddaughter
grandparents-in-law
groundbreaking
grown-up
guardrail
H
H
haemoglobin
haemorrhage
hairbrush
hairstyle
half-breed
half-brother
half-hour
half-sister
halfway
hand in hand
handbag
handbag
handgun
handheld
handlebars (of bicycles, usually plural)
hand-me-downs
handout
handrail
hands-on
handtowel
handwash
happy-go-lucky
harbour
hardback
hard-boiled (as in egg)
hardcover
hard-earned
hard-wired
hay fever
head start
headache
head-banging (same as body-rocking)
headbutt (verb)
health care
heartache
heartbeat
heart rate
heart-warming
heat rash
heatstroke
hell-bent
help-seeking
hepatitis A
hepatitis B
hepatitis C
herpes simplex (no caps, no italics)
Hib (as in vaccine, note initial cap)
hide-and-seek
hide-out
highchair
high-heeled (shoes)
Hirschprung's disease
home page
home-based
homebirth
home-cooked (adj.)
homemade
home-room (as in a child's home-room, or home-room teacher)
home-school, home-schooling
homework
hopscotch
horse riding (same principle for bike riding)
hot spot
hot-water system
house plants
house rules
hover board
human papillomavirus
humidicrib
hummus (Turkish dip)
humour
hypersensitive
I
I
i.e.
ibuprofen
ice blocks
ice cube
ice-cream
ice-pack
icy pole (iced confection on a stick)
immunise
in utero
in vitro (but in-vitro fertilisation)
in-built (also built-in)
Indigenous (initial cap)
in-house
in-laws
inroads
install
instil
instilled
instilling
intergenerational
interlink
internet (note lower case)
interpretive OR interpretative (adjective)
interrelated
in-vitro fertilisation
J
J
job seeker
joystick
judgment (not judgement)
judgmental
jungle gym
junk food
K
K
Kanner's syndrome
kerb (noun)
kerbside (adjective)
keynote
kick-start
kinder (not ‘kinda’, abbrev for kindergarten; always refer to ‘kinder or preschool’)
kowtow
L
L
labelling
lackluster
lawnmower
leeway
left-handed (and right-handed)
leftovers (food)
Lego
let-down (breastfeeding term)
levelling
liaise
liaising
lifelong
lifesaver
lifesaving
lifestyle
lifetime
light-headed
lightweight
locomotor
log-in (noun)
log in (verb)
long day care
longer term
long-sighted
longstanding
long-term
lovemaking
lower case (n.), lower-case (adj.)
low-fat
low-key
low-nutrient food
lukewarm
lunch box
lunch time
M
M
machinegun (often needed in movie reviews!)
made-up
make-believe
make-up (verb: to enhance appearance)
make-up (noun: cosmetics to enhance appearance; and physical, mental constitution)
makeshift
maraca
matter-of-fact
maximise
mealtime
mean-spirited
mementoes
micro-organism
micro-sleep
microwave
midair
mid-dream
mid-morning
mid-pregnancy
mid-sentence
midway
milk bar
milkshake
mind-reading
minipill
minimise
misinformation
modelled
modelling
motto (singular)
mottos (plural)
mouth guard (same for shin guard)
mortadella
motorbike
mould (fungi-like growth, shape-maker)
moulding clay (not molding)
mouth guard (two words)
mouth-to-mouth
mucus
multicoloured
multicultural
multidisciplinary
multi-digit
multi-level
multiplayer
multi-step
multistorey
multi-tasking
multivitamin
muscular dystrophy (no caps)
N
N
name tag
name-calling
Napisan
nerve-racking
neuro-endocrine
never-ending
newborn
new-found
night feeding
night-light
nightmares
night terrors
night-time
night waking
nobody
no-man's-land
non-abusive
non-biodegradable
non-compliance
non-discipliner
non-critical
nonexistent (adjective)
non-febrile
nonfiction
non-government
non-hurtful
non-judgmental
non-profit
non-representational
non-toxic
non-smoker
non-traditional
nonverbal
non-violent
no-one
nosebleed
not-for-profit
numberplate
O
O
occasionally
odour
oesophagus
off-putting
offside
oh-oh
OK (all caps)
old-fashioned
omega-3
omega-6
one on one
one-off
one-pot (as in meals)
ongoing
online
on-the-spot
open-ended
orthopaedic
out of hand
outdoorsy
outgoing
oven timer
over the moon
overactive
overburden
overdrive
overeating
overhand
overindulge
over-intrusive
overlook
overlooking
overnight
overreact
overreact
over-regulate
overrides
overstep
overstimulated
over-the-counter
overtired
overuse
P
P
paediatric (not pediatric)
paedophile
painkiller
paintbush
PANDA (not Panda)
panhandle
papier-mâché
parent-child
parent-staff
part and parcel
part-time
pasteurised
pastime
passer-by
pat-a-cake
payback
pay-off
peekaboo
peri-natal
personnel
PhD
pinpoint
pitfall
pita (as in bread)
placenta praevia
playdate
playdough
playgroup
playhouse (imitation house for child play)
playmate
playpen
playtime
polysaccharide
pop-up (computer screen term: dialogue box, menu; also printed book element)
portacot
postcode
postgraduate
post-nasal drip
postnatal
postpaid
postscript
potbelly (protuberant belly)
pot plant
pm (as in 9.15 pm)
practice (noun)
practise (verb)
pre-adolescent
pre-eclampsia
preloading
prenatal
preoccupied
pre-packaged
prepaid
pre-reading
pre-recorded
prerequisite
preschool
pre-teen
preterm
principal (noun: as in leader)
principal (adjective:highest rank)
principle (noun: fundamental truth)
primary school (not elementary school)
privilege
proactive
problem-solving
pro bono
program (noun, not programme)
programmed (verb)
pro-social
psychosocial
publicly
pull-ups (noun: to refer to the physical activity)
push-and-pull toys
put-down
pyjamas
Q
Q
quality assured (no hyphen)
quality assurance process (no hyphen)
queuing
R
R
rapid eye movement
ready-made
real life
real-life (adj)
realise
rear-vision (as in rear-vision mirror)
recall
recipes (plural of recipe)
red-back and funnel-web (spiders)
re-enact
rehash
reinforcement
remarriage
re-occur
reseal
resealable
re-settle (as in sleep routine)
Respiratory distress syndrome (RDS)
resumé
re-visit
Reye's syndrome
ride-on toy
right-handed (and left-handed)
ringworm
role model
role-play
rollerblades
roller-coaster
rollover
roofs (plural of roof)
room mate
rough-and-tumble
rule-governed
S
S
‘snakes and ladders’ (the game)
‘snap’ (the game)
same-sex (relationship, marriage)
sandpit
sanitiser
saucepan
school age (noun: age set by law to start school)
school-age (adjective: relating to children of this age)
school-aged (adjectival use)
schoolbag
schoolwork
schoolyard
scrapbooks
screwdriver
seatbelt (but safety belt)
seaweeds
second-hand (as in smoke, or clothes)
self monitoring
self-awareness
self-care
self-concept
self-confidence
self-consciousness
self-control
self-defeating
self-defence
self-directed
self-doubt
self-esteem
self-evaluation
self-funding
self-generated
self-help
self-regulation
self-reliance
self-report
self-soothing
self-sufficiency
self-talk
self-worth
semipermeable
semi-rural
September 11 (not September 11th)
septicaemia
Shigella
shin guard (same for mouth guard)
shoelace
shoplifting
short-lived
short-sighted
short-term
shoulderblade (no space, no hyphen)
show jumping
show-off
sickle cell disease
side effect
sidetrack
sidetracked
singalong
single-minded
sing-song
skateboard
skate park
skillful
skillfully
skin-to-skin
sleepover (noun and verb)
sleeptalk (noun and verb)
sleepwalk (noun and verb)
sleepwalking
smartphone
smoke-free
snack time
snapshot
socioeconomic
soft drink
soft-boil/soft-boiled (as in egg)
son-in-law (plural: sons-in-law)
sorbolene
soy milk
soy milk
soybean
spaceship
spina bifida (no caps)
spin-off
stabilise
staff–parent relationship
stakeholder
stall
stalling
stand-alone
Standards Australia (name of org that manages standards, also see Australian Standards and Australian Standards mark)
standover (as in standover tactics)
standpoint
state-based (same for Victoria-based, etc.)
statewide
stationary (adjective: not moving)
stationery (noun: writing materials)
step by step (phrase: by degrees, gradually)
step-by-step (adjective: executed or achieved in small stages)
stepbrother
stepchild
stepchildren
stepdaughter
stepfamily
stepfather
step-grandchildren
step-grandparent
stepmother
stepmum
step-parent
stepsister
stepson
stepwise
stillborn
stir-fry
stomach ache
storybook
storyline
storyteller
storytelling
storytelling
story time
straightaway
straightforward
Strasburg (note: initial cap S, luncheon meat)
Streptococcus (Group A), Streptococcus A
sublicense
subsection
subskill
substance abuse
substandard
sumo
sunblock
sun-dried
sunscreen
superhero
superhuman
supermarket
super-parent
superpower
T
T
tabbouleh
takeaway
tantrum (noun and verb)
tantrum-free
tape-record
tap-water
targeting
team mate
teamwork
teenager not adolescent - use 'Your child' when writing content for the parent (rather than your adolescent pre-teen / early teen / teenager )
teenagers – use 'Children' or 'Teenagers' when referring to children as a group
teeth-grinding
teleconference
ten-pin bowling
terry toweling
test-drive (verb)
textbook
thermometer
three-year-old (not three year old)
time frame (2 words)
time poor
time-out
tip-off
tiptoeing
toddlerhood
toddler-proofing
toenail
tongue-tie
tool box
toolbar
toolkit
toothbrush
top up (verb)
top-down
topsy-turvy
top-up (noun: as in a breastfeed top-up)
tour guide
Tourette syndrome
toy box
trachea (singular)
tracheae (plural)
trans fat
traumatised
T-Rex (common abbreviation for tyrannosaurus rex)
takeaway
trial and error
trialled
trialling
troubleshoot
t-shirt
tuckshop
tumour
two-thirds (non-decimal fraction)
two-way
type 2 diabetes
U
U
UK not United Kingdom
under-age (below the legal age)
undereat
upbringing
up-end
up-to-date (adjective: up-to-date report)
upper case (n.), upper-case (adj.)
US not USA not United States of America
use-by date
user-friendly
V
V
vaporiser
Varicella zoster
Vaseline
Vegemite (when referring to yeast extract; lower case if saying 'happy little vegemite')
velcro (noun and adjective)
vice versa
Victoria-based (same for state-based, etc.)
video game
video-modelling
videotape
vomiting
vs (versus)
W
W
washcloth
waterbed
waterbirth
waterproof
web (world wide web)
website
well-adjusted
well-behaved
wellbeing
well-established
well-known
well-lit
well-maintained
well-meaning
well-respected
Western (as in 'Western countries')
wheat germ
wheelchair
whereas
whine
whinge
whingeing
whining
whitebait
WHO (World Health Organization - note use of ‘z’ in this case)
wholegrain
whole-patient (as in medical care)
wi-fi
windpipe
word-finders
work sheet
workday
workflow
workload
workload
workplace
World War 2 (not II or WWII)
wall chart
worldwide
worst-case scenario
X
X
Xbox
X-ray (cap X only, not cap r)
Y
Y
yoghurt
Z
Z
zigzag
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